1997
1997
16-17 Jan. French President Jacques Chirac arrives in Budapest upon the invitation of Árpád Göncz.
5 Feb. The Russian Duma passes – in reviewed form – an act on works of art pillaged and taken to the Soviet Union during World War II, which nevertheless declares such foreign – among them Hungarian – artworks Russian property.
25-27 Feb. Roman Herzog and his wife arrive in Budapest at the invitation of the Hungarian Head of State.
28 Feb. Due to rumors spreading on the alleged bankruptcy of Postabank, account holders withdraw HUF 10 billion during the day, which rises to HUF 24-25 billion by early March.
11 Apr. The corner-stone of Ferihegy airport’s 2/B terminal is laid.
14 Apr. Iván Pető resigns form his posts as president of SZDSZ and head of the party’s parliamentary faction.
30 May Of the 73 works submitted in a tender for the construction of the new National Theater, the application of Kossuth and Ybl-Prize laureate architect Ferenc Bán is recommended for construction by the jury.
20 June Prime Minister Gyula Horn and Angelo Sodano sign an agreement in the Vatican between Hungary and the Papal State on the financing of the public service and spiritual activities of the Catholic Church in Hungary.
8-9 July At the NATO Summit in Madrid, it is announced that Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland will be invited to the accession negotiations.
1 Sept.The International Tribunal in the Hague makes its decision on the GabŠcikovo-Nagymaros Weir Dam, according to which Hungary had no right to withdraw from the agreement in 1989 and that Slovakia had also violated the agreement by going ahead and building the so-called C Variant.
16 Nov. In a decisive census with a turnout of 49.24%, 85.33% of the country’s voters were in favor of Hungary’s joining NATO.
